Improvement in apparatus for supporting centers for masonry arches and floors



W. ERWIN. Apparatus for Supporting Centers for Masonry Arches and Floors.

Patented May 20,, 1879.

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- N. PETERS, FMOTO-UTHOGRAPHEB. WASHINGTON, 01C.

supporting cross-bars.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

WILLIAM ERWIN, OF WEST POINT, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING CENTERS FOR MASONRY ARCHES AND FLOORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. April To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM ERWIN, of West Po nt, in the State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Supporting Centers for Masonry Arches and Floors, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to do away with the slow and expensive construction of scafiolding, which is necessary in all buildings with high ceilings, and to provide a cheap, portable, and easily-adjustable support which can be' arranged to suit any required width of center. A

To accomplish this I suspend the center from movable crossbars resting on the joists or supporting-beams of the floor by means of screw bolts or rods attached to the center, which pass through the cross-bars, and are there suitably fastened.

In the drawings I show screw-nuts for fastening the bolts above the cross-bars, which permit an adjustment of the center at any distance from the joists that may be desired.

The cross-bars through which the supporting-bolts of the center pass are provided with longitudinal slots, so that they may be used with centers of any desired width. The centers are provided with means for attaching ropes, so that they can be hoisted into position and lowered away when no'longer needed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan or top view, showing one of the supporting-bolts in section. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on the line 2 2 of Fig. l. w

A is the center, of which B B are the ribs, and G G the sheathing-boards. 'D D are the Supporting-bolts E E, bolted to the bars F F, pass through the slots G G in the transverse supporting-bars D D, so as to be adjustable, and are there fastened in any suitable way. The ends of the transverse supporting-bars D D bear upon the blocks I I, which rest on the joists or floorbeams J J or they may bear directly on the joists.

K indicates a brick arch built upon the center. L L are holes for hoisting or lowering the center by means of ropes.

215,595, dated May 20, 1879; application filed ceilings of any form or description.

It is also obvious that chains or cables might be used instead of rods.

staging, after the staging is detached deflection often occurs so suddenly as to cause the top of the arch to crack, thus causing a great imperfection, because the weight does not rest on the beams until after the staging is removed, whereas in my improvement the weight always rests on the beams in proportion to the progress of the work, thus preventing any sudden defiexure, and imperfections do not occur.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. A portable pendent center for temporary support of masonry, in combination with floorjoists, with suspending -rods, and with rodsupports supported by the upper sides of the joists, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the supporting screwbolts and the slotted cross-bars, whereby adjustment to the different widths of centers is effected, substantially as described.

- WILLIAM ERWIN.

Witnesses WM. AVERY, CHARLES WARD.

used in laying horizontal concrete and masonry In the old style of supporting arches by 3. The combination of a portable pendent 

